Recording machine



Dec. 14, 1943. M H STRICKLAND 2,336,813

RECORDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 DCC- 14, 1943- M. H. sTRlcKLAND 2,336,813

RECORDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 /2 f .f f T 1* ff 7 W 79 Dec. 14, 1943. M. H. sTRxcKLAND RECORDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20, 1938 G Sheets-Sheet 3 Dec. 14, 1943.

M. H. STRICKLAND 2,336,813

RECORDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 /L @5 fz ./5.

5 l l J Z4 {C1-Fl if 22% f aj 5 l ZZ I l I I (L '1 f l 5)/ @im WFQMJQQ) Dec. 14, 1943.

M.H. s'rRlcKLAND 2,336,813

RECORDING MACHINE Filed Aug. 20, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 6` RECE/PT FOR COLLEC 7"/O/VS 5,/ @am n f6 i@ 4 #from/5K Patented Dec. 14, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE RECORDING MACHINE Merton H. Strickland, St. Louis, Mo.

Application August 20, 1938, Serial No. 225,909

2 Claims.

This invention relates to recording machines, and more particularly to a machine for printing numerals on successive sheets and recording the totals of said numerals.

A machine of this kind may be used for various purposes, including the printing of receipts for collections, and for printing individual items and recording the total of sums to be collected.

However, in this art, one of the unsolved problems appears in the lack of a suitable portable machine for convenient use of persons engaged in collecting installments, insurance premiums, and the like, involving numerous individual payments, and the issue of a positive receipt for each payment. A record of each payment must be made by the collector for transmission to his oiiice, and the person engaged in this Work must render an accounting at predetermined intervals, when he is required to deliver the total of his collections.

In the absence of a suitable portable machine, this has required a great deal of time and trouble in adding the numerous individual items, coupled with the probability of mistakes, especially in the extremely large number oi accounts handled by insurance agents, and collectors of relatively small installments. Aside from the time and labor of the agent, or collector, in ascertaining the total of the numerous payments, this total must be checked by others to be certain that it is correct. Furthermore, in the ordinary method of collecting insurance premiums, the collections reported by an agent are often checked by a supervisor, or inspector, who calls upon the numerous policy holders and examines the receipts previously given by the agent, to be certain that al1 of the collections have been duly reported by the agent.

The recording machine herein described may be used by collectors who obtain various sums of money from numerous sources and are required to give a receipt for each amount collected. The recording machine is so constructed that it can be manually set by the collector to print the amount of any collection on a work sheet, such as a receipt card, and the total of the several amounts printed Will be recorded to show the total sum collected.

A machine of this kind will eliminate a great deal of the detail heretofore involved in adding the numerous sums, at the same time positively showing the total of the collections, and when the collector is required to account for sums received by him, he merely presents the machine and pays the amount shown by the totalizer. Thereupon, the machine is unlocked by an authorized person who restores the totalizer to zero, thus indicating that the collector has delivered the total amount of his collections.

In addition to printing the various sums as receipts for the money collected, the machine may print the dates of the collections, and the dating device may be set by the person who opens the machine to restore the totalizer. Furthermore, the printing elements may include a designation identifying the collector, or agent, who is using the machine.

Therefore, one of the objects of this invention is to produce a small portable recording device adapted to print individual amounts and record the total in a totalizer.

Another object of the invention is to provide the recording device with a printing mechanism which may be manually adjusted without actuating the totalizer.

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and compact operating means whereby the totalizer is actuated in accordance with the setting of the printing mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide the recording device with a means to positively prevent successive printing operations of the printing mechanism without actuating the totalizer in accordance with each printing operation.

A further object of this invention is to provide a means to prevent unauthorized setting of the totalizer.

A still further object of the invention is to provide the totalizer with an effective carrying mechanism for imparting motion from one numeral wheel to another numeral wheel after said wheels have been driven in accordance with the setting of the printing mechanism. The carrying or transfer mechanism herein disclosed is claimed in an application led by me on November 9, 1943, Serial No. 509,597. f

With the foregoing and other objects inview, the invention comprises the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more specifically described and shown in the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one form of the invention. However, it is to be understood that the invention comprehends changes, variations and modifications within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

Fig. 1 is an end View of a recording machine embodying thejfeatures of this invention, showing the operating'handle in an elevated position.

Fig. 2 is a front view showing portions of the indicating Wheels which are exposed to the operator for adjustment in setting the machine for rated to more clearly expose the carrying devices.

Fig. 6 is a section taken approximately on the line 6-6 in Fig. 5, drawn to a larger scale.V

Fig. 7 is a vertical section on a large scale showing the totalizer at the top of the view, the manually adjustable setting wheels below the totalizer, and the printing Wheels near the bottomY of the machine.

Fig. 8. is a vertical section approximately on the line 8--8 in Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a section approximately on theline 9 9 in Fig. 7.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged detail view on the line l-lll in Fig. 8, showing a plain portion of one of the elongated exible racks, or chains, and the guide in which it is mounted.

Fig. 11 is a similar View showing a toothed portion of the exible rack.

Fig. 12 is a section approximately on the line I2-I2 in Fig. 7, showing a locking device positioned to prevent operation of the printing mechanism.

Fig. 13 is a similar view showing the locking elements as they appear when the machine is locked in its printing condition.

Fig. 14 is a section taken approximately on the line 14,-!4 in Fig. 7 showing the guide for the platen and locking elements associated therewith.

Fig. 15 is a horizontal section approximately on the line l5-l5in Fig. 7.

Fig. 16 is a vertical section. similar to Fig. 8, showing the totalizer in a lower position, as it appears when the operating handle has been depressed.

Fig. 1'7 is an enlarged detail view of the totalizer, showing a portion of the carrying device.

Fig. 18 is a detail View taken approximately on the line lB-IB of Fig. 7 showing a guide for the totalizer carriages.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged side view showing a few of the teeth or abutments in one of the ilexible racks.

Fig. 20 is another view of the details shown in Fig. 19.

Fig. 2l is a vertical section, showing several parts of the machine as they appear when the operating handle is depressed.

Fig. 22 is a sectional detail showing a cam for shifting a carrying wheel.

Fig. 23 is a perspective view of a part of the carrying device.

Fig. 24 is a detail View showing a ratchet and pawl which forms part of the carrying device.

Fig. 25 is a detail View of a portion of the work sheet, which may be in the form of a card.

To illustrate the invention, I have shown the recording device as including a housing A provided with a printing mechanism at the bottom for printing the date, the amount collected, and an identifying number on an insurace receipt card B, such as shown in Fig. 25, and a totalizing device near the top for recording the totals of the amounts printed on such receipt card.

The housing A includes a top wall l, side walls 2 and 3, a rear wall Li, and a removable front wall 5 provided at its lower portion (Figs. 4 and 7) with ears 6 pivotally supported on pins l secured to said side walls. The upper portion of the re movable front wall 5 is provided with a lock B (Figs. 2 and 8) for detachably securing said iront wall 5 to the top wall l.

The printing mechanism includes type carriers in the form of type wheels lli, Il and l2 for selectively printing numerals from 0 to 9 in units, tens and hundreds positions; and type wheels I3, Id and I5 for printing the month and day thereof. The type wheels are loosely supported on a shaft l having its opposite ends mounted in supports Il which are secured to the rear wall of the housing. As shown in Fig. '7, the portions of the type wheels l0 to l5 extend beyond the lower portion of the housing to provide for the transfer of print to the receipt card. g

yA platen I8 adapted to receive the receipt card B is located below the bottom wall of the housing adjacent the exposed portions of the type wheels. The platen i3 is provided near one end with a shoulder I9 extending upwardly into the housing. As shown in Figs. '7, l2 and 14, separated vertical guide bars 2i? are fixed to the shoulder E9 and slidably confined between the side wall 3 of the housing and an inner wall 2l secured to said side wall by screws 22.

Springs 23 are interposed between the upper ends of the guide bars 28 and a thrust member 24 held in engagement with the upper ends of the springs by a screw 25 carried by a ilange 26 fixed to the inner face of the side wall 3. The springs 23 tend to move the thrust member Ztl away from the ends of the guide bars Eil, thereby imparting an upward thrust through screw 25 and flange 26 to the housing. The pressure of the springs 23 yieldingly forces the housing away from the platen i8, as shown in Figs. 7, 9 and 12, to retain the type wheels and platen out of printing relationship.

It will be understood that under conditions hereafter described the housing may be manually moved toward the platen i8 to bring the type wheels into printing relationship with the platen, and the springs 23 will tend to force the housing away from the platen to move the type wheels out of printing relationship with ther platen.

To limit the upward displacement of the nousing and type wheels lvto l5 away from the platen i8, an abutment member 2l is secured by a screw 28 (Fig. 14) between the guide bars 2i] and extends through an elongated opening 29 in the inner wall 2l. VAs the housing is moved upwardly by the springs 23, the edge of the inner wall at the lower portion of the opening will engage the abutment member 21 to limit the upward motion of the housing.

The type wheels 3 to l5 may be set to print the desired month and day by removing vthe front wall 5 and manually rotating the type wheels to move the selected month and day type adjacent the platen.

The type wheels l to i2 for printing the amount collected may be individually set in the desired printing positions by manually operated indicating wheels 3D, Si and 32 which are loosely supported on a shaft 33 secured to the supports li. The means for transmitting motion from each indicating wheel to one of the type wheels ID, il and I2 includes-a gear Wheel 37^xedrto veach indicating wheel, a gear wheel 34secured Y to each of said type wheels, and an intermediate gear wheel 35 loosely mounted on a shaft 36 and meshing with the gear Wheels 34 and 31. It will be understood that motion imparted to one of the indicating wheels 30, 3| or 32 will be transmitted through one of the sets of gear wheels 34, 35 and 31 to drive one of the type wheels I 0, II or I2.

The peripheral face of each of the indicating wheels 30, 3| and 32 is provided with a fseries of numbers from to 9 corresponding to the numerals on the type wheels. The front wall of the housing is provided with a concave portion 38 provided with openings adapted to expose a numeral on each indicating Wheel. As shown in Figs. 2, 8 and 16, the indicating wheels partially project through said openings to provide for a manual adjustment of said indicating wheels.

The numbers on each of the indicating wheels 30, 3l and 32 are so arranged, that when a number is exposed at one of the openings in the front wall, a corresponding number on one of the type wheels will be located adjacent the platen to provide for the printing of said number. In other words, if the indicating wheels are moved to expose, for example, 999, at the openings in the front wall 5 (Fig. 2), the type wheels IIJ, II and I2 will be driven by the gears 34, 35 and 31 to locate the type characters 999 in -positions adjacent to the platen I8.

It will be observed that the type wheels I, II

and I2 for printing the amounts received by the collector may be manually adjusted by the indicating Wheels while the front wall 5 is locked to prevent access to interior of the machine, and the collector cannot change the date wheels i3, I4 and I5 while said wall is locked. Therefore, while the collector may adjust the type wheels to print the amount received he cannot post date or predate the receipt. If desired, the rear wall of the machine may be provided with a fixed type member 39 projecting below the lower edge of said wall for printing a number to identify the machine employed to print the receipt. This type member appears in Fig. '1, and the identification character printed thereby appears as the numeral |92 in Fig. 25.

To provide for the supply of inl: to the type wheels ID to I5 and type member 39, an endless ribbon 49 passes under said type wheels and type member, over guides 4I and around a driving wheel 42, as shown in Fig. 7. The driving wheel 42 is rotatably supported in the housing and is adapted to be intermittently driven by a toothed wheel 43 actuated during each downward movement of the housing by a spring pressed abutment 43a fixed to the shoulder I9 of the platen.

As an illustration of a suitable totalizing device for indicating the totals of amounts printed by thetype wheels I0, II and |2, I have shown a series of numeral wheels 44, 45, 46, 41 and 48 loosely mounted on a shaft 49 and adapted to expose the total of the amounts collected at sight openings in the top wall of the housing, as shown in Fig. 3.

. The shaft for supporting the numeral wheels 44 to 43 is secured at opposite ends to side walls 5U which are connected by horizontal bars 5| and 52 to form a horizontally movable carriage. This carriage is slidably confined between rollers 53 on a manually operated vertically movable carriage which includes side walls 54 and 55 secured to each other by a bar 56.

The manually operated carriage is adapted to be moved vertically away from an elevated or starting position, such as shown in Figs. 4, '1, 8 and 9, to a lower position, such as shown in Figs. 16 and 21, and then back to said starting position. To prevent lateral displacement of the manually operated carriage during its longitudinal movements, it is conined between the side wall 2 of the housing and a vertical inner wall 51 secured to the rear wall of the housing by screws 53 as shown in Fig. 7. The side wall 2 of the housing is provided with guide rollers 53 adapted to engage opposite edges of the side wall 54 of the carriage, and the inner vertical wall 51 is likewise provided with guide rollers 3i) engaging opposite edges of the other side wall 55 of the carriage.

As an illustration of a means for moving the carriage from its starting position (Figs. 4, 7, 8 and 9) to the position shown in Figs. l5 and 21, I have sho-wn a relatively short ro-d 5l secured to the side wall 54 of the carriage and extending through an elongated slot S2 in the side wall 2 of the housing, and a relatively long rod 53 secured to the other side wall 55. This long rod 33 extends through an elongated slot EF.' in the inner wall 2| and also through a similar slot in the side wall 3 of the housing respectively. As shown in Figs. l, 2, 3 and 1, a manually operated handle 35 is secured to the exposed portions of the rods 6| and 63. It will, therefore, be understood that a downward pressure on the handle GE will be transmitted through said rods to move the carriage from its elevated position to a lower position, such as shown in Figs. 16 and 21. r"he carriage may be manually restored to its starting position by the handle 65. However, I have shown springs secured to the top wall of the housing and to the side walls of the carriage, as shown in Figs. 4, 9, 16 and 21, for restoring the carriage to its elevated or starting position. These springs are tensioned during the downward movement of the carriage and will restore said carriage its elevated position upon release g downward pressure on the operating handle During the movement of the vertically movable carriage away from and back; to its starting or elevated position, it will be observed that the horizontally movable carriage which supports the totalizing mechanism moves longitudinally with the manually operated carriage, and that said inner carriage is free to be moved horizontally on the rollers 53.

I will now refer to the means for driving the totalizing device in accordance with the setting' of the printing wheels I9, II and I2. An operating member in the form of a gear wheel d1 is secured to each of the numeral wheels d4, 45 and 4G of the totalizing device. When the vertically movable carriage is moved downwardly from its elevated position, a spring 63 fixed to the wall 5i] of said carriage and tensionally engaging an abutment $8 on one of the side walls of the horizontally movable carriage shifts the last mentioned carriage laterally to move the gear wheels.

61 from inoperative positions into alinement with teeth 68 on flexible racks 13. At the beginning of the return stroke of the vertically movable carriage, the horizontally movable inner carriage is forcibly shifted laterally away from the flexible racks so that the gear wheels 51 will be out ofalinement with .the teeth `S51-.of the racks during the return movement. Y

rhe means for guiding said horizontally movable kcarriage during its movementl with the .vertically movable carriage away and back to its elevated position includes a guide pin 'H (Figs. 7, 18 and 21) secured tothe bar ..52 andextending into .an endless slot 'l2 (Fig. 18) of a cam 13.

Fig. 18 shows the .position of .the .guide pin 'll in the slot when the totalizer occupies its elevated position. It will Vbe observed that the guide pin H contacts with a shoulder 'M .to hold the hori- Zontally movable inner carriage against the .pressure of the spring E38 in a position, such as shown in Fig. 8, where the gear wheels 6i' are out of engagement with the teeth 6g of the racks. Downward movement of the carriages will .displace said guide pin 'H from the shoulder i@ permitting the spring 68 to move the inner carriage horizontally and bring the gear wheels Eil into alinement with the teeth 59 of the racks il?. During the continued downward movement of the carriages, the vertical passageway i2 of the slot 'i2 (Fig. 18) will cooperate with the pin il to Vhold the gear wheels El in alinement with the teeth 69 or" said racks. At the completion of the downward movement of the carriages, an end portion of the guide pin ll trips a spring actu.- ated dog 'i5 (Fig. 21) and passes below a .cam face i6 of said dog which may be pivotally mounted on a support il. Gn the return stroke of the carriages, the cam face 76 of the dog l5 will positively deflect the pin i from the passagewayfl into a vertical passageway 7.8 of the slot l2, to shift the horizontally movable carriage away from the racks, thereby moving the gear wheels l out of alinement with the teeth E9 of the racks. When the carriages reach their elevated positions, the spring will shift the inner carriage lateraily toward the racks, but the pin 'il will strike the shoulder 'Ell (Fig. 1S) te limit the movement of said carriage, thereby retaining the gear wheels El out of alinement with the teeth of the racks.

It will, therefore, be observed that during the movements of the totalizer carriage away from and back to its starting position, the inner carriage is shifted laterally in opposite directions on the outer carriage so that during substantially all of the downward movement of the carriages, the

gear wheels 67 for driving the numeral wheels 44, 45 and i5 are in alinement with the teeth of the racks lo, and during the upward return movement of said carriages said gear wheels are out of alinement with said teeth of the racks;

It will be understood that during the downward movement of the totalizer, the rotary movement of the gear wheels 61 for driving the numeral wheels are controlled by the number or teeth on the racks extending into the paths of said gear wheels. In other words, if, for example, nine teeth on one of the racks 'itl extend into the path of one or the gear wheels El', said gear wheel will be driven nine steps to impart a similar motion to one of the numeral wheels. Or, if all of the teeth on said rack are out of the path of said gear wheel, it will'not be actuated to drive a numeral wheel.

The number of teeth on the racks located in the paths of said gear wheels is determined by the positions of the printing wheels ld, il and l2. Each rack is slidably secured in a guide 'i9 and has a lower end fastened at Si] to a gear wheel 8| fixed to one of the printing wheels. The lower portion of each rack is provided with teeth 69 fadaptedto extend around and mesh with one-of said .gear wheels 18|, so as to move the `upper vteeth of the rack linto and :out of the path of the Ygear wheel .for the corresponding numeral .wheel of .the totalizer.

The teeth $9 in the lower portion of'eachrack .and the teeth of each vgear wheel v8| are Vso 'arranged that they lwill cooperate'with each other to locate a number of upper teeth 69 in the path o'f a gear wheel S1 co-rresponding to the setting of a printing wheel. In other words, whenever one oi the printing wheels IU, Il or l2 is moved to print a selected number, the same number of teeth 69 are moved into the path of one of the .gear wheels 61 ofthe totalizer.

As shown in Figs.,19 and .20, the racks 'Hl may be economically made of simple flexible strips of suitable material, and have integral oppositely disposed ears extended laterally and joined by rods 69 to form teeth therein. The construction of the guides for the racks is most clearly shown in Figs. 10 and l1. As shown in Figs. 8 and 16, the guides extend from positions immediately below the gear wheels 8l on the printing wheels, to the side wall 4, upward along said wall, and under the top wall l,l the portion of the guide at the top wall beingadapted to receive the upper portions o'f the racks whenever they are moved above the gear wheels. It will be observed that the flexible racks provide a very compact operating mechanism, and this feature is quite important in a small portable machine to be carried by a person engaged in making numerous collections.

Since the gear wheels 61 are out of engagement with the teeth of the racks, when the totalizer is in its elevated position, the racks may be freely moved by the setting of the printing wheels, without actuating the totalizing mechanism. However, to prevent displacement of the racks 'and printing wheels secured thereto while the totalizing device is being actuated, the racks are preferably locked. The means for loclnng the racks (Figs. i8 and 9) includes a'bar 82 having locking projections 83 adapted to be moved into and out of the path of the teeth Yof the rack. The bar 82 is Xed to 'arms Vpivotally secured at 85.

. Springs $6 yieldingly engage the 'upper portions of said arms, andt'end to swing said arms 4on their pivots to move the locking `projections into the path ci the 'teeth of the racks.

The upper portions of the arms 84 are provided with pins BT adapted to engage the upper marginal side edges of the walls 5i) of the inner totalizer carriage when said carriage is in the position shown in Fig. 4 to prevent the springs 86 from actuating the arms 84 to move the projections 83 into lockingengagement with .the teeth of the racks. In other words, when the totalizer occupies its vhighest position, the racks are unlocked and Yfree to move in response to adjustments of the printing wheels. When the totalizer is moved downwardly, the walls 5l) will be immediately moved out of engagement with the pins 8l on the arms 8f3, thereby permitting the springs amounts printed by the type wheels, each of the lower denomination numeral wheels 44 to 41 may pass from 9 to 0 requiring a carrying operation to the next higher denomination.

As an illustration of a suitable carrying mechanism, I have shown (Figs. 5, 6, '1, 8 and 17) a series of driven gears 88, 89, 99 and 9|, and intermediate gears 92, 93, 94 and 95 loosely mounted on a shaft 98 supported by the side walls 59 of the totalizer carriage. Each of the intermediate gears 92 to 95 meshes with a large gear 91 fixed to one of the numeral wheels 45 to 48, and the several intermediate gears 92 to 95 are rotatable independently of each other to transmit motion to said numeral wheels 45 to 48.

The means for driving each of the driven gears 88 to 9| includes a disk 99 having two teeth |93 and a larger disk 99 having a notch |99 (Fig. 17) registering with the opening between the teeth of the disk 98. As shown in Fig. 5, a pair of said disks 98 and 99 is fixed to each of the numeral wheels 44 to 41, and the driven gear wheels 88 to 9| have alternate short teeth |9| and long teeth |92. Two of the long teeth of each of said driven gear wheels normally engage the periphery of one of the large disks 99 (Fig. 1'7) to lock said driven gears, and a short tooth |9| located between said two long teeth, normally extends into the path of the teeth |93 on each disk 98.

Whenever one of the numeral wheels 44 to 41 is moved from 9 to 0, the teeth |93 on the disk 98 fixed to the last mentioned numeral wheel will drive one of the driven gears a distance of two teeth, the notch |99 in the large disk permitting one of the long teeth |92 on said driven gear wheel to move between the teeth |93 of said disk 98.

As shown in Fig. 5, the driven gear wheel 90 and intermediate gear wheel 94 are secured to each other by a sleeve |94. It will, therefore, be understood that whenever the driven gear 99 is moved, this motion is directly transmitted through the intermediate gear wheel 94 to the large toothed gear wheel 91 meshing therewith to drive the numeral wheel 41 a tenth of a revolution.

' The driven gear wheel 9| and intermediate gear wheel 95 are also secured to each other by a sleeve |95, to provide for the direct transfer of motion from the numeral wheel 41 to the numeral wheel 48 whenever said numeral wheel 41 passes from 9 to 0.

' When the totalizer is moved downwardly from its starting position, the units, tens and hundreds numeral wheels 44, 45 and 48 may be simultaneously driven by the gear wheels 81 in accordance with the settings of the racks 19. While these wheels are being driven through the medium of the racks, the units and tens wheels may pass from 9 to 0, requiring the tens and hundreds wheels to be advanced one step. However, the tens and hundreds wheels 45 and 46 cannot be directly driven from the lower denomination wheels, as the gear wheels 51 fixed to said tens and hundreds wheels may be in engagement with the teeth of the racks.

Therefore, to provide for a carrying operation to the tens and hundreds wheels, I have shown a means for moving said tens and hundreds wheels during the return stroke of the totalizer carriage when the gear wheels 61 are out of engagement with the teeth 59 of the racks.

vThe means for driving the tens and hundreds wheels (45 and 46) during the return stroke of the totalizer includes abutment members |96 and |91 fixed to the wall 5 and star wheels |98 and |99 slidable into and out of alinement with said abutment members. The star wheel |98 is slidably splined on a sleeve ||9 secured to a ratchet wheel loosely supported on a shaft ||2. The ratchet wheel is adapted to transmit motion through a pawl ||3 to a gear wheel ||4 which meshes with the intermediate gear wheel 92 for driving the large gear wheel 91 on the tens wheel 45. It will, therefore, be understood that whenever the star wheel |98 is driven, motion will be transmitted through sleeve |9, ratchet wheel pawl ||3, and gears ||4, 92 and 91 to drive the tens wheel.

The star wheel |99 is likewise slidably splined to a sleeve ||6 which is provided with a ratchet wheel |1 for transmitting motion through a pawl ||8 to a gear wheel ||9 meshing with the intermediate gear wheel 93 for driving the gear wheel 91 fixed to the hundreds wheel 48.

TheJ star wheels |98 and |99 are slidable on the sleeves ||0 and H8 and are adapted to be moved laterally from a position, such as shown in Fig. 5, to a position, such as shown in Fig. 22. When the star wheel |98 occupies the position shown in Fig. 22, it will be in alinement with the abutment |95 on the return stroke of thetotalizer carriages and will be driven by said abutment to move the tens numeral wheel one step or a tenth of a revolution. Likewise when the star wheel |99 is shifted so as to lie in alinement with the abutment |91, it will be actuated thereby during the return stroke of the totalizer carriages to move the hundreds numeral wheel one step.

The star Wheels |98 and |99 are normally held out of alinement with the abutments 96 and |91 by compression springs l2! engaging said star wheels. However, when the units wheel 44 passes from 9 to 0, the star wheel |98 is forcibly shifted so that it will be in alinement with the abutment |95 during the return stroke of the totalizer carriages. lIhe star wheel |99 is also forcibly shifted during the movement of the tens wheel from 9 to 0, so that said star wheel |99 Will lie in alinement with the abutment |91 during said return stroke of the carriages.

The means for forcibly shifting the star wheel |98 whenever the units wheel passes from 9 to 0 includes a gear wheel |22 meshing with a gear |23 attached to the driven gear 88 which is actuated by the two teeth |99 on the disk 98 fixed to the units wheel. The gear wheel |22 is loosely mounted on the sleeve ||9 and provided with a hub |24 having a cam face adapted to engage a cam face on a hub of the star wheel |98. Whenever the gear wheel |22 is moved, the cam faces on said hubs will cooperate with each other to shift the star wheel |98 laterally so that it will lie in alinement with the abutment |99 during the return stroke of the carriages.

The means for forcibly shifting the star wheel |99 whenever the tens wheel 45 passes from 9 to 0 is similar in construction to the mechanism for shifting the star wheel |98, and includes a gear wheel |25 loosely mounted on the sleeve |5 and provided with a hub |28 having cam face engaging another cam face on the hub of the star wheel |99. The gear wheel |25 meshes with a gear |21 attached to the driven gear Wheel 89, and upon being moved by said driven gear wheel 89 the cam face on the hub |26 of the gear wheel |25 will cooperate with the cam face on the hub of the star wheel |99 to impart a lateral movement to this star wheel, thereby providing for actuation'of said star wheel through the medium of the abutment |111.

When the-star wheels |68 and |09 are actuated by the abutments |35 and H11, it willvbe observed that as said wheels are rotated and the cam faces on the hubs of said wheels lare moved into alinement with the cam faces of the hubs of the gea-r wheels |22 and |25, thesprings` I2| will tendtoshift the star wheels laterally. To preventY a lateral displacement of the star wheels while they are beingr driven by the abutments |56 and |01, each of saidabutments is provided with a depending ange |28 (Figs. 8, 16 and 23) adapted to engage a tooth of the star wheel being actuated until the star wheel is driven the required distance.

As shown in Figs. 8 and 16, the abutment |31 is at a higher elevation than the abutment IGS so that the star wheel |133 will be driven subsequent to the operation of the star wheel |38. Therefore, whenever the tens wheel 45 is` moved froml 9fto 0 by the star wheelY |33, the star wheel IIlS-will be shifted into alinement with the abutment |91v to provide for a subsequent carrying operation to the hundreds wheel 4B.

The star wheels |03 and |09 are normally locked to prevent rotation. The locking device may include locking members |29 which are yieldingly held in engagement with the star wheels by means of spring arms |30 secured to the totalizer carriage. Each or" the spring arms |33- is` provided with anunlocking member I 3| for separating thelocking member |29 from the star wheels while they are being driven by said abutments and |631. The means for actuating each of said unlocking members includes a cam face |32 on each of the abutments adapted to engage an end of one of said unlocking members I3I-vtoshift the spring arm |30 attached thereto away from the star wheel to be driven, thereby moving the locking member secured to said last mentioned spring arm out of engagement with said star wheel.

Attention-is now directed to the means for controlling theprinting operation of the type wheels I9, II i and I2. While the totalizer carriage is moving downwardly to actuate the totalizing mechanism, the type wheels I3 to I2 and platen I 8 are preferably locked out of printing relationship, as shown in Fig. 12. device has been completely actuated and the carriagel reaches its lowest position, the printing wheels-are moved into printing relationship with the platen, and said printing relationship is' maintained to clamp the card between the printing wheels and platen until the carriage returns'.

toits elevatedY or starting position.

The means for rlocking the printing wheels and platen out of printing relationship while the carriage is moved downwardly substantially a full stroke to actuate the totalizing device includes a latchmember |33 carried by an arm I3@ pivotally secured at |35 to the inner wall 2| of the housing; The latch memberv |33 is slidably supported between projecting guide members |35 and |31 on the inner wall 2|-, and is movable into and outA of a notch |33 in the abutment member 21v which is secured to bars 23 carried'- by theplaten l5. A spring |35 fastened to the extension4 |31` on the inner wall 2| engages said latch memberl i33-to vieldingly hold the same in Said'notch. The latch'meinber I33wl1ilelocated in saidnotch, as shown in Fig. 12, will prevent downward movement4 of the housing to bring the.

After the totalizing` the side wall 53 of the totalizer carriage.

printing wheels into printing relationship with the platen.

When the manually operated totalizer carriage has moved downwardly substantially a full stroke; the rod 63 secured to said carriage engages a cam face Il-lil on an unlocking member IIII fixed to the pivoted arm |34 to move the latch |33 out of locking engagement with the abutment member 21.. The Y housingV may then be. manually moved downwardly to bring the printing wheels into printing relationship with thev platen.

When the housing is moved downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 13, a slidable latchmem- -ber llt-2 is forced by a` spring |53 intoa notch |154 in the abutment member 2.1 to lock the printing wheels and platen I8 in printing'relationship. The latch member |42 is slidably supported between guide members |45 and |33 fixed to the inner wall 2|. The spring I3rfor forcing said latch member M2 into the notch,v |44 may besecured tothe inner wall'ZI, and provided with an. upperportion engaging said latch member.

The latch member |42 will retain the printing wheelsr in printing relationship with the platen to prevent removal of the card receiving the printing until the totalizer carriage returns to its upper starting position. The latch |42 is secured by a screw |46 to an armV |619 having aV lower portion pivotally mounted at |55 on the inner wall. The upper portion of the'arm |49 has a cam face V|5| adapted'to be engaged by the rod 63 on the return stroke'of the carriage; to shift the latch member |42 out of the notch. The latch member is completely withdrawn from the notchwhenthe carriage Areturns to its starting position. Upon the release ofthe latch.mem.

,ber |42, the springs 23 will force the housing upwardly to move the printing wheels away from the platen thereby releasing the card which has received the printing. Y

When the housing has moved upwardly from the position shown in Fig. 13 to the position shown in Fig. 12, thespring |39 will force the latch member |33 into thenotch |38 to prevent a4 second printing operation until the carriage isagain moved a full stroke away from its upper starting position.

In Figures 4 and 2l I have shown a full stroke device for preventing a return movement of the totalizer carriage until it has made approximately a full stroke-away from its starting position. The. full stroke deviceincludes a vertical bar |52 secured to the wall 4 and having ratchet teeth adapted to be engagedby a pawl I 53 secured to totalizer carriage is shifted laterally at the begin-v ning of its downward stroke to move the gear wheels 61 into alinement with, the teethA of the racks 15, the-pawl |53 is moved into engagement with the ratchet teeth of the bar |52 to prevent upward movement oi the carriage. At the start ofthe return movement of the totalizer carriage when it isV shifted laterally to move the gear wheels |51 out of alinement with teeth of theracks, the pawl |53 is also moved out of aline-- ment with the ratchet teeth of the bar |52 t0 permit upward movement of the carriage.

It will be observed that the platen I8 is normally spaced from the vertical walls of the hous.. ing to provide a sheet-receiving slot, or opening, extending directly from the printing area to the outer faces of three sides of the machine, so as to receive and permit manual adjustment of the relatively large sheet Bshown in Fig. 25. The printing4 elementsv are located at opposite Walls- As theof this slot to receive and clamp the manually controlled sheet in said slot. The sheet B is large enough to extend from at least two sides of the machine, and said slot, or opening, is accordingly open at opposite sides of the machine to permit manual insertion, adjustment and removal of the sheet. However, the previously described locking means prevents successive printing operations on the manually controlled sheet in response to a single totalizing operation. In the preferred form of the invention, said locking means is locked and unlocked in response to movements of the operating handle. More specically stated, the locking member |33 positively retains the printing elements in their inoperative positions during a portion of the cycle of operations. During the remaining portion of the cycle, the locking member |42 positively retains said printing elements in their printing positions, so as to clamp and lock the manually controlled sheet in said slot, or opening.

I claim:

1. In a recording machine provided with a bed having type members for printing amounts upon sheets manually inserted into and removed from the machine, a platen located adjacent to said bed, and a manually operated handle movable away from and back to a starting position, the improvement which comprises locking means to prevent successive printing of the numerals in response to a single operation of said handle, said locking means including a locking member for preventing movement of the bed and platen toward each other until moved by the operating handle to engage the work sheet therebetween, another locking member thereafter movable to lock the platen and type members on the bed in engagement with the work sheet to secure the work sheet therebetween until the operating handle returns to approximately its starting position,

and means driven by said operating handle to lock and unlock said locking members.

2. In a recording machine provided with a housing having a bed provided with type members for printing numerals on a work sheet, a platen located adjacent to said type members to receive said work sheet, a guide member slidably secured within the housing and Xe-d to the platen, a spring tending to move the bed and platen away from each other, and operating means movable away from and back to a starting position, the improvement which comprises locking means for preventing movement oi the bed and platen toward each other until actuated by said operating means, said locking means including an abutment carried by said guide member, a latch member secured to said housing and movable into and out of locking engagement with said abutment, and a spring for forcing said latch member into locking engagement with said abutment, cam means actuated in response to the movement of said operating means, to move said latch member out of locking engagement with said abutment, thereby permitting movement of the bed and platen toward each other` to engage the work sheet, locking means for locking the work sheet between the platen and type members on the bed to secure the work sheet therebetween until the operating means returns to approximately its starting position, the last mentioned locking means including a latch member movably secured to said housing, and a spring for forcing the last mentioned latch member to its locking position to prevent release of the work sheet, and a cam device actuated when said operating means returns to its starting position to unlock the last mentioned latch member, thereby permitting separation of the bed and piaten away from each other to release the work sheet.

MERTON H. STRICKLAND. 

